1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trash receptacles, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved trash receptacle for allowing removal of filled trash bag liners without requiring any vertical lifting of the filled trash bag. Many individuals are unable to lift even relatively light objects due to age or various medical conditions. The withdrawal of large twenty and thirty gallon sized trash bags from the open top of a conventional trash receptacle is difficult even for an average individual. In order to overcome this problem, the present invention provides a trash receptacle having a pivotal door formed by a side wall portion attached bY a longitudinally extending hinge. A raised interior horizontal or inclined floor allows a filled trash bag to be slid bY dragging out of the trash receptacle, without requiring any vertical lifting. Alternate configurations may utilize widthwise hinges for sidewall attachment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of trash receptacles are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a trash receptacle is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,591, which issued to N. Laginestra on Nov. 13, 1962. This patent discloses a trash receptacle formed from a cYlindrical hollow body member divided into mating halves by a longitudinally extending joint. The halves are connected by a transversely extending hinge along an interior floor portion. Latch members are provided for securing the halves together in a closed position. U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,408, which issued to C. Lake on Aug. 29, 1972, discloses a collapsible support for plastic trash bags. The device includes three rectangular sections adapted to be perpendicularly connected to form an open top and open sided box for supporting the trash bag therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,813, which issued to J. Garrity on Aug. 4, 1981, discloses a trash bag holder formed by an elongated polygonal wire cage having a longitudinally extending seam secured by spring clip members. U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,634, which issued to T. Hambleton on Mar. 20, 1984, discloses a holder for plastic bags which utilizes a rectangular box having open top and front portions. Projections are provided on opposite exterior side wall portions of the box for engagement with handles of the plastic bag. U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,483, which issued to L. Gagne on July 3, 1984, discloses a collapsible support for trash bags which is formed from a one piece blank made of flexible sheet material and having fastening elements holding the sheet material to define an open ended cylinder for receiving and supporting a bag in an upright open mouthed position.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices disclose a trash receptacle having a longitudinally extending hinge connecting a side wall portion to a hollow body member and having an inclined interior floor to facilitate removal of filled trash bags without requiring any vertical lifting. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of trash receptacles, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such trash receptacles, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.